Wanted for Murder
by Yanaristocrat I
Summary: Kagome has been framed for murder. With the help of her friends, she escapes to New York City from Japan to start a new life. She gets a new job, makes new friends and enters a relationship with a demon, but her past is coming back to haunt her. Her boyfriend and new friends find out and decide to help her clear her name, but she isn't the only one hiding something.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note:**

**This is a very old story written back in 2002 before I got into Sesshomaru/Kagome pairings. I thought I'd edit and post for some of the readers who read it during the Animespiral era. It has gone through extreme editing. I will try to update once a week as I am currently working on my original novel. Please follow my new writing account on Instagram procrastiwriter_**

**Chapter 1**

"Thank you" Kagome shouted at the driver through the obstreperous rainfall as she got out of his pickup truck. She swung her leather jacket over her head as she ran down the street, her converse sneakers soaked as she sloshed over puddles. Making her way toward the start of an alleyway she lit her cigarette. She scaled the walls toward a gated store front seeking shelter under its tattered awning. The rain fell harder and it was becoming difficult to see her surroundings. She squinted at the intersection, making sure the cross streets matched what was written on the piece of paper in her hand.

She had imagined New York City differently, at least what she thought it was supposed to be like watching Hollywood movies from her small town in Japan. Looking around, she felt swindled by the portrayal she was led to believe. The city that never sleeps. The city of opportunities.

'What a dump', she thought as she studied the destitute block she was on, graffiti covered every single building. It was shy after midnight and not a soul on the street. Even with the rain, she expected to see at least someone. Just then, a metal garbage can tumbled over and a family of rats scattered across the street. She shuddered at the idea of them heading her way and took a couple of pulls of her cigarette craning her neck to see the signs down the block. She was on 113th street; she had to go to 111th street. She put on her jacket and zipped it up, tucking her long midnight tresses into a black beanie hoping some predator would mistake her for a boy.

The rain started to slow down becoming just a mist. Now was the time to move. She was a sitting duck if she stayed in the alley around midnight, she'd be asking to get mugged. She sauntered down the street scanning around for the address written down on the paper. Wet and cold from the rain, her hands trembled as she tried to make out the numbers. The ink started to bleed together, and she couldn't tell if it was four or a nine at the beginning. It's a four she remembered. She had called earlier in the day, responding to an ad for a vacant room. The girl on the phone, Sango, given her the directions and she noted the strong New York accent when she said four, sounding like _Fo-ah. _She had also said, _'if you pass the bum wearing a muumuu dress and a shower cap, you've gone too far.'_

She stopped when she noticed that there was indeed a bum with a muumuu and a shower cap sitting on a stoop in front of a building. _Dear God, tell me this isn't the place._

She ambled closer, fixing her gray eyes on the address beside the door. The rusted brass numbers were breaking off, the last one completely gone but someone had written the four in sharpie. Yep, this was the place.

She rang the intercom. It was late but she had told Sango she would get there past midnight. She was alright with it, yet no one answered so she rang the intercom again. Nothing. She pressed the button five more times, impatiently looking up at the sixth floor. Still nothing. Getting pissed off, she started banging on the door.

"Locked out?" said a low voice behind her.

She turned on her heel quickly and pressed her back against the door, trying hard to hide the fact that she was startled but failed miserably. She gripped her switchblade inside her pocket as she glared at the guy in front of her. He was wearing a dark gray hoodie; strands of white hair poke out from underneath covering his face. He brushed it to the side and lifted his gaze at her. Even though it was dark, she could see how light his yellow eyes were. _Demon._

He must have noticed he startled her and raised one hand defensively. His held onto a grocery bag with the other. She could see the Miller lite bottle caps peeking through.

"Relax, I'm not going to hurt you. You can let go of the knife in your pocket" he reached inside his pocket with his free hand and pulled out a set of keys.

Kagome relaxed and forced a smile.

"Sorry, I'm uh, not from around here."

"I can tell." He smiled as he unlocked the door.

She lowered her head as she waited for him to unlock the door, slightly embarrassed that she was startled. His face was barely visible, but she could tell he was good looking from his profile. He had an upturned nose that made his lips pout and a strong jawline. He was tall and slender with broad shoulders. He pushed the door opened and gestured for her to go inside first, but she was hesitant. His eyes locked on hers and he looked impatient.

"I swear I'm not gonna bite." He grinned, revealing a fang. Her eyes widened and he realized she must have been frightened that he was a demon. His smile faded and he gestured one more time.

"Thanks…" she mumbled, stepping into the hallway that led to a few apartments on the main level on the right-hand side, and a staircase going up to other units on the left. She stood to the side to make sure she could see him, in case he tried something.

"So where are you from?" he turned to unlock his mailbox and go through his mail. He frowned as she flipped through bills and supermarket coupons.

"Around." She said, unsure of where to go. "Thanks for letting me in."

She headed for elevator and pressed the button. The light didn't go on so she pressed it a few more times.

He walked past her and stopped behind her. He leaned in closely, she could feel his breath as he whispered into her ear.

"The elevator doesn't work, doll face".

She bristled over her shoulder at him as he trekked up the steps. With a resigned sigh, she followed shortly after toward the sixth floor. By the time she got to the sixth floor, she was out of breath and had slumped to the ground. The guy who let her in got off the same floor as she did and walked towards his door. He glanced at her as he unlocked it, smirking at how winded she was.

"It's a good workout." He winked.

But she didn't say anything nor entertain him with acknowledgment. Instead she sat at the top of the steps wondering what she was doing. The place was run down and far from homely than her three floor house in Okinawa.

The guy looked back at her again and felt sympathetic as he made his way inside. He took out a bottle of water from his grocery bag and walked back over to her. He set it beside her and she looked up.

"Whatever you're going through, it'll get better. Take care of yourself, kiddo."

Before she could thank him, he went back inside and closed the door. She looked at the bottle of water and licked her lips. She was so thirsty. After landing at JFK, she hadn't gotten anything to eat or drink. She was too focused on hitching a ride. Once the old man in the pickup truck offered, he was in a hurry, so she had no time to get a bite to eat. Not that she had much money on her anyway. On the plane, she had complimentary chips and apple juice and that was all she had in over four days since she left home.

She stared at the water. She didn't trust anyone though. What if the bottle of water was poisoned? She couldn't risk it. She was getting so dizzy and she was tired, she just wanted to rest. She looked at the apartment door that the guy had just walked in. ' 6F. '

_'Ok, gladly that isn't the apartment I'm looking for.' _she thought in relief.

She got up, took the bottle and placed it outside of that guy's door and walked towards the end of the hall to find 6B. Once she found it, she knocked. A girl answered and welcomed her inside.

" Hi, I'm Sango, we spoke on the phone" she said in a giddy tone.

" Uh...my name is Kagome." She replied.

Sango looked at her and smiled. " Ok, Kagome. Well let's show you your room then!"

Kagome had followed. She was starting to feel dizzy again and started to trip on things. Everything was moving in circles. She needed to lay down before something happened. She heard the Sango's voice become distorted as her eyes grew heavy. Then everything became muffled and dark. The last thing she saw was Sango's horrified face before she fainted.  
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"I don't understand... Should I call the hospital?" Kagome heard a faint voice. It was recently familiar, and she immediately recognized it as Sango's.

"Feh, for what? She's probably a junkie in need of a fix." said another familiar voice, a male voice. It sounded like the guy who had let her in. "Look at her, she is all scrawny and pale."

_Scrawny and pale? _Kagome winced before she opened her eyes and tried to focus as she sat upright. She rubbed the blurriness out of her eyes as she scanned the room. She was in the living room.

" Look, she's awake!" Sango said as she ran over to the couch. "Hey...how are you feeling, are you ok? Need anything? You scared me." She handed Kagome some water and crackers.

"I'm ok…I have just been running around and forgot to eat." Kagome glowered at the guy who let her in, the one who thinks she is a junkie. She got a better look this time. He was wearing a black fitted t-shirt of a band, she assumed, that she never heard of. His eyes were the color of the morning sun and contrasted deeply with his dark brows that were shaped perfectly for his face. He crossed his arms and she noted his tattoo sleeve. Sango watched Kagome's look of contempt toward her friend and decided to introduce them.

"Kagome, this is Inuyasha, he lives in 6F. I called him to come help me pick you up when you fainted on the floor." she said as she walked toward the kitchen. "Do you want me to call an ambulance for you?"

"No, no…" Kagome said, her voice frantic at first but she changed it noticing Inuyasha's suspicious expression. "I'm ok…just thirsty."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Was my water not good enough for you?"

Kagome bowed her head and decided not to reply. She just stared down at her lap and looked back up when Sango came back over with a bottle of water and a sandwich. As much as she tried to eat delicately, she couldn't. Days of not eating left her devouring the sandwich in under two minutes. Sango looked at Inuyasha in disbelief.

"I'll go make you another one."

Kagome started to feel better after she ate the sandwich. The faint feeling dissipated and she was still hungry. Inuyasha gave her one last look before shaking his head and making his way to the kitchen.

"Your boyfriend Hojo called, he said your clothes should be arriving tomorrow. I have some clean clothes you can use in the meantime, though, it might be too big on you. You must be so uncomfortable in those damp clothes." Sango said as she spread mayo onto the whole grain bread.

"Hojo isn't my boyfriend." Kagome corrected as she untied her bun. Her long raven hair fell down to her waist in playful waves. She could see Inuyasha was still studying her. Meeting her eyes, he scoffed.

"Your pimp then?"

"Excuse me?" Kagome snapped.

"Inuyasha!" Sango reprimanded. "What's wrong with you?

Kagome shot him a scowl. "Screw you."

"Oh, Kagome, don't mind him. He likes to bust people's chops." Sango scowled.

Inuyasha sighed. "My bad, thought you had a sense of humor."

Kagome glared. "And why would I find you making a comment that I'm some sort of hooker, funny? Or comments that I'm some junkie in search of a fix?"

"Oh, you heard that?" Inuyasha winced. "Ok, look, no offense. You come here, drenched, no wallet because we checked when you passed out. Some guy who isn't your boyfriend is sending you clothes from Japan, I mean, who does that?"

"A friend!" Kagome replied annoyed.

"Poor guy doesn't know he's being friendzoned." Inuyasha helped himself to a cup of coffee. "I don't know, you're hiding something."

"Whatever." Kagome said. "I don't need to explain anything to you. You're no one to me."

Kagome felt her face heat up. Her eyes burned as she felt tears coming in. She did not want to cry in front of the two. Inuyasha realized the shift in her mood and was about to apologize.

" Um...I'm going to go take a shower." Kagome uttered quickly, turning around before they could see the tears run down her cheek.

Inuyasha swallowed the lingering guilt he felt with coffee. Sango met his eyes briefly as she finished making the sandwich.

"What's the matter with you? You guys don't know each other to be making some kind of comment like that."

"I know." He sighed. "She's definitely hiding something though."

"And it's not our business." Sango added. "Her boyfriend, I mean, her friend paid two months rent so it's helping me out in the meantime while I pay for my student loans."

"You're right, my bad. I'll apologize to her later." Inuyasha assured Sango so she could stop looking at him disappointedly.

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Sango was nice enough to leave a pair of clean pants and white T shirt on her bedroom dresser. Fortunately, the room was furnished because all she had were damp clothes to her name. Hojo said he would send her a little starter pack while she settled in to help buy her time. She needed to find a job. She also needed a fake ID, but she didn't know where she was going to get one. She was lucky that Hojo knew someone at the airport to let her sneak past security onto the plane. But now she was truly on her own and needed to figure it out from here.

Feeling the tears trickle down her face, she sat on the edge of the bed. Sango had given her fresh sheets. She was nice. _Trust no one, _Hojo had warned her. A flash of her mother and brother infiltrated her mind, and she flinched as though someone just stabbed her in the chest. Her heart ached and she doubled over sobbing into her palms.

_This has to be a nightmare. Wake up! Wake up! This can't be real. Mom? Sota?_

_No, no, no, _she clutched her head and shook it, trying to shake the negative thoughts out of her head. She choked on another sob and covered her mouth. Whimpers slipped out from her throat and she prayed they didn't hear her outside the hallway. Someone outside turned on the radio and blasted heavy metal. She could hear Sango cursing and knew Inuyasha must have done it. She managed to calm down as she changed into the shirt and pants. There was a manilla envelope underneath the pants that had blown to the floor when she grabbed it. She reached down and opened it curiously. She was surprised to see five hundred dollars inside along with a note.

**Dear Kagome,**

**Take this money and spend it wisely. Everything will clear up soon, you'll see, I didn't send any checks or your credit cards because right now it'd be best that you do not use them. I know you must be going through hell. I'm sorry I cannot be there to comfort you, The girls and I, Yuka and Eri of course, all chipped in. We hope everything turns out ok. Be careful and you take care of yourself, you hear? We'll take care of everything here. Stay low. We'll keep you informed.  
**

**From your true friends always, Hojo, Yuka and Eri.**

Kagome sniffled as she set the note down. Her friends were all she had left, and they weren't here with her. She could never go back home and would probably never see them again. Her eyes stung as she wiped them one last time. She took a while to observe the room. It was a small and there was no window. The closet was the size of a pantry.

When she got out into the hallway, she headed toward the bathroom to fix her hair and bumped into a guy in boxers coming out of it. His brown hair was disheveled like he just woke up. He had five piercings in each ear, decorated with hoops and one on his eyebrow. He fluttered his brows at her and puckered his lips.

" Uh, sorry…" Kagome took a step back and cupped her eyes with her hand to block the view of him.

"It's cool, I give you permission to look at the goods."

" Leave her alone, Miroku, she knows nothing of your perverted nonsense." spat Inuyasha. He was leaning on a recliner smoking a cigarette. He met Kagome's gaze briefly then looked away. Miroku shrugged defensively. "Ok, my bad. I'm just trying to be nice."

Kagome lowered her head and brushed past him to enter the bathroom. "Excuse me."

"Shy one, isn't she?" Miroku whispered when Kagome closed the door. "Who is she?"

"New roommate." Sango said, her tone annoyed. "Don't go making her uncomfortable and adding to her problems."

Miroku smiled. "Who says I would be a problem? Maybe I am the solution."

Sango threw a pillow at him. "Enough, she looks like she needs to be left alone. Go put some clothes on."

Miroku grabbed a shirt and put it on and turned to Inuyasha who was reading the newspaper.

" Do you know what the new girl's deal is?"

"Feh, beats the shit out of me. Besides, I don't care." Inuyasha set the newspaper down.

Miroku shrugged then started to doing push-ups in the middle of the living room.

"Hey, did you hear about the girl who slaughtered her family?"

" No shit? Where'd you hear this? It's not in the newspaper." Inuyasha put out his cigarette in an astray and laid across the couch with his arms around his head.

Miroku grunted with each push up. "This happened in Japan, actually."

Inuyasha shrugged. "How would I have heard that then?"

"My mom told me. Her coworker just came back from vacation. It's completely messed up, the details of what they found. One of the victims was only seven."

"Shit."

"Yeah, they said she just snapped and killed everyone. They don't know where she is now. I'm really surprised you didn't know, especially with Sesshomaru's inside network. He's always the first to find shit out."

"Nah, I haven't spoken to him in a bit. He's still pissed I'm out of the game."

"Still? It's been two years."

"Are you really surprised by his stubbornness?"

"Yeah, you're right." Miroku stopped doing his push-ups and sat up. "Anyway, it's crazy, some eighteen-year-old psycho bitch is running loose. Who knows, she may not even be in Japan anymore."

Kagome walked out of the bathroom tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. The look of torment remained on her face. Inuyasha studied her as he mulled over Miroku's banter. A quick thought of Kagome covered in blood holding a knife flashed before him and he squinted. His eyes followed her as she went to the kitchen and he snapped out of it when Miroku hit him on the knee.

"Hm?" Inuyasha darted his gaze at him.

"You like, huh?"

"No, shut up."

"Right." Miroku snickered as he sat on the other end of the couch and turned on the TV.

***~~*Please Review~*~***

**Written 2002**

**Edited 2019**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The room was unfamiliar when Kagome woke up, then she realized this was going to be her room from now on. No more J-pop posters taped onto a lavender wall, no sun to greet her in her windowless-prison like chamber. She sat up, scanned the room then swung her feet off the bed as she grabbed her toothbrush. Sango was already in the bathroom blow drying her hair when she got there.

" Oh, sorry, Kagome. I will be done in a minute."

Kagome shot a partial grin. "Please, no need to rush. I have nowhere to go at the moment. Going somewhere?"

"Work!" Sango yelled over the loud blow dryer and rolled her eyes. She turned off the dryer then started combing her hair with her fingers. "Wish I was rich so I can stay home. How does it look?"

" Great…" Kagome said.

"Hey, I apologize for Inuyasha and Miroku. I promise you they are the sweetest guys...they just like to act up and show off."

"It's okay." Kagome shrugged, not really knowing how to respond. She barely had any energy to brush her teeth right now.

Sango unplugged the blow dryer and brought it to her room. " Before I forget, your keys are on the table and don't be surprised if you see Inuyasha and Miroku here. Although they live across the hall, they spend more time here, probably because I always have food."

" Ok…thank you." Kagome said, her expression solemn as she dreaded being alone in the apartment.

Sango looked sympathetic as she did a once over at her. "You alright?"

"Yeah." Kagome said, then nodded to assure her she was.

"Do you like Chinese food?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Cool, I'll bring some tonight and maybe we can chat and get to know one another?"

Kagome smiled but knew that couldn't happen. No one can get to know her, at least, not the real her. "Sounds good."

After Sango left, Kagome had taken a shower and brushed her teeth. There was a medium sized cardboard box in front of Kagome's door with a bunch of clothes Sango set out for her to wear until her clothes would arrive. Donning a black sweater with blue jeans, she made her way to the kitchen for some coffee. Just then she heard a jingling of keys at the door. Inuyasha walked in holding a tray of coffee and a brown bag.

"Good morning," Inuyasha said, closing the door behind him as he set the bag on a nearby wooden console. He pulled his headphones off his head and handed her a coffee.

"Oh…" Kagome said, surprised. "t-thanks."

"Sorry if I scared you, Sango and I have keys to each other's apartments, I hope she told you."

"Yeah, she did." Kagome replied, blowing at her coffee to cool it down. She went to sit down, and he brought over the bag.

"Hungry?" he asked, pulling out something wrapped in tin foil. "If you're going to live in New York City, you have to try the good ol' sausage, egg and cheese on a roll."

"What's that?"

"Best breakfast sandwich you'll ever have."

Kagome faltered a smile as she grabbed it from him. She inspected the cheesy gooiness as she peeled off the tinfoil.

"Don't worry. I didn't poison it like I did the water." He remarked, his face slightly teasing but she could sense annoyance.

He took a seat beside her and opened his. He took a bite, his amber eyes flickered with enjoyment at her and she smirked as she modestly broke a piece off to try it.

"You don't eat much when the opportunity is given, huh?" Inuyasha said.

"Just haven't had much of the appetite." She said.

"If you don't like it, I can pick up something else. There's a McDonald's around the corner."

"No that's ok, thank you." She said. "Besides, I never had McDonalds."

"What?" Inuyasha almost dropped his sandwich in surprise. "What do you mean? Everyone in the world has had McDonald's."

"Not me." She smirked, then it faded quickly. Inuyasha noticed how she did this often; smiling then stopping as if she reminded herself she wasn't allowed to.

"What? What planet did you come from? People in Africa even eat McDonalds. It's nationwide."

"How do you know they have a McDonalds in Africa?" she questioned in disbelief.

He shrugged. "I've traveled around."

"Really? Part of work?"

"Mm, yeah." He said and left it at that.

She continued to pick at her sandwich and look around the kitchen.

"Hey, I'm sorry I made those comments yesterday. It was uncalled for."

Kagome snuck a few glances at him and wiped her fingers with a napkin.

"No worries."

"So tell me, where in Japan are you from?"

Kagome felt her heart drop as she wondered how he knew but then realized she told Sango the other day that she was going to arrive late because she's taking a flight from Japan.

"Uh…Tokyo." Kagome lied. She couldn't tell him where she was really from.

"Tokyo, really?" he said. "You don't strike me as a city girl."

"Were you studying in college or-"

"Yeah..." she said, not comfortable with his questions.

"Where at?"

"Um…Shikon University." She quickly answered and then he frowned.

"Shikon is in Okinawa, isn't it? You lived in Tokyo but went to school out there?"

Crap, how the hell did he know that?

"Y-yeah, I uh, stayed on campus."

Inuyasha studied her quietly, his amber eyes going up and down as he took another bite of his sandwich.

"So, what are your plans for today?" he asked.

Kagome shrugged, making small rips at the tin foil. Inuyasha took note of the nervous tics.

"I don't know, I guess look for a job." she said. She took a bite of her sandwich. It was actually very delicious, probably 5000 calories though.

"What kind of job are you looking for?" Inuyasha asked, interestedly. She met his gaze briefly and had to look away. Not only was he good looking, but he had the most scrutinizing gaze, as if he was trying to decipher her right there. This wasn't good.

"I'm not picky. I'll do anything, just need it off the books..." she sighed.

" Off the books, huh? Why, you running from the cops or somethin'?" Inuyasha joked.

Kagome snapped her neck." What are you trying to imply?"

Inuyasha could tell she was still on edge. He had to refrain from saying the first thing that came to mind.

"I wasn't trying to imply anything; it was a joke. If it's because you don't have a working Visa, you don't have to worry. You wouldn't be the first or last illegal to work in New York City."

Kagome relaxed then laughed quietly. "Right, uh…I don't have a working Visa."

She didn't need one, she was born in the states before her mother moved them to Japan but she needed him to think that instead.

"Well, how about waitressing?"

"I've never waitressed before." She said, most interested but sympathetic.

"It's not hard. You bring a tray of drinks from the bar to the table, you smile, that's it." He scoffed.

"Where?"

" I manage a nightclub in Chinatown so if you want the job, it's yours. Off the books."

Kagome was hesitant. "Really? You'll just hire me like that?"

" Feh, I don't see what's in it for me. Unless..." Inuyasha smiled devilishly.

Kagome frowned. She knew it. Guys never do anything out of the goodness of their hearts. They always wanted something in return, and it was usually sexual. On her way to the U.S, every guy she asked for help wanted her to do him a sexual favor. Kagome shot up and crumpled the sandwich in the foil.

"Forget it, I don't need your help, pervert!" she orated as she stormed out of the kitchen.

Inuyasha sat at the table so confused as he replayed his conversation with her. He got up and walked towards her room. He entered her room without knocking and instantly regret it as she was in the middle of taking off her shirt.

She screamed and backed herself into a corner trying to cover herself. "Get out. Please don't!"

_Please don't? _Inuyasha immediately covered his eyes.

"I'm sorry but you have the wrong idea..." he started to explain.

Kagome choked on a sob as she put her shirt back on and grabbed her pocketknife from the nightstand.

"Are you dressed?" Inuyasha asked, his eyes still closed when he felt something sharp on his neck. His eyes shot open and he looked down at Kagome, her eyes welled up with tears as she gritted her teeth. Most people would be terrified having a knife pulled on them. Not him. Not with the life he had. He was more concerned about her. The trauma in her eyes, the pain. She had no idea how to even inflict pain on someone, this he could tell.

"Kagome, put the knife down before someone gets hurt." Inuyasha said softly, his hands hovered beside his ears, his eyes never leaving hers.

Kagome pressed the knife down harder. "No, why don't you leave me alone! I'm not going to sleep with you just so you can get me a job!"

Inuyasha laughed, then bit his lip from laughing further when he saw it infuriated her more.

"You are highly mistaken." He said.

"Right, so what were you hinting at with the 'unless' part!"

"Unless you buy me coffee for a month, Kagome. That was what I honestly was going to say."

Kagome hesitated, debating if she should give him the benefit of the doubt, and if she did, she was going to be humiliated. She shook her head, no he had to be lying.

He grew impatient and slapped the knife out of her hand. He held her arms tight against the wall.

"Let go!" Kagome cried. He was very strong. Was he going to rape her?

Inuyasha sighed. " Look, little girl, I have no intention in sleeping with your sorry ass. Want the job, great. Don't want it? I could give two shits. If you do, go to Emperor's palace on Canal street."

Inuyasha released his grip as he watched her rub her wrists. He took a step back then shook his head.

"I'll see you around." He said, then left the apartment.

Kagome dropped to the floor and started sobbing heavier. The pain, it was too much. She clutched her chest as she curled into a fetal position. She felt like a child desperately wanting to be held by her mother. How could this be her life now? Was she always going to be afraid and looking over her shoulder?

"Oh mom," she wailed, her voice hoarse as she coughed. _I miss you so much. I wasn't prepared for this_.

She wasn't sure how long she lied on the floor but she had cried herself to sleep.

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_"Mom? I'm home!" Kagome had called out. She had caught a late movie with Eri. Kicking off her shoes, she searched the den then the living room._

"_Sota? Grandpa?" she stopped then called for her cat. "Buyo? Where is everyone? Well, sorry I'm late! We caught the late showing." Kagome said as she walked around the house. Normally her mother would have a pot of something on the stove, simmering until she arrived. But the stove wasn't even on, there were vegetables on the cutting board left unattended. The sink was running the whole time. Kagome shut it off and continued walking around the house. _

_She went upstairs and tried to turn on the hallway light but it wouldn't give. She continued through the darkness as she peered into each room she passed by. She was getting scared. _

"_Guys, this isn't funny! Sota, if you are up to this, I will kill you!" she cried._

_It was thundering and lightning outside. Just like in the horror film she had just gone to see. The lights around the house weren't going on. She went to her brother's room; he wasn't in there. She kept walking around the house and was starting to feel like something was wrong._

_"Mom?" She walked into her mom's room and tried to turn on the light. It didn't turn on. The only source of light she had was coming from the lightning shone through the windows. Then she spotted another flickering light. Candles? She walked over to the side of the bed seeing a trail of candles that lead to her mom's bathroom. Kagome gulped. " m-m-mom?" she stuttered. She opened the door and saw a pool of blood on the bathroom tiles and gasped. _

"_Oh god, oh god..."_

_She walked over to the bathtub and opened the curtains. She gasped and the blood curdling scream escaped her chest._

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Kagome bolted upright, breathing hard as she scanned the room. Her shirt was drenched. She looked around trying to make sense of things. She was breathing fast. Holding her chest trying to calm her racing heartbeat. She punched her bed frame in agitation causing the skin on her knuckles to rip open. She ignored it and looked at the clock. It was 12 noon. She decided to get up, take a shower and leave to that place Inuyasha had mentioned. She searched the box Sango had set out for her and settled for a black dress that looked alright paired with the only boots she had.

She went to the bathroom to look at herself and was horrified at the reflection in front of her. She was pale beyond belief, her face gaunt and lifeless. She snuck a little bit of Sango's foundation on and a bit of lip gloss. This was as good as it was going to get as she left her hair loose in waves. She grabbed her bag and dumped her pocketknife inside. She grabbed a few twenties from an envelope and stuffed the rest underneath her mattress.

When she left the apartment, she asked a man behind the newsstand how to get to Chinatown. He wasn't very nice at first and leered at her like he hated life.

"Take the 1 train all the way down. It's easy." He pointed the opposite way. "Red line."

"Thanks," she said and headed toward the train station.

When she got to the spot, Emperor's palace it was not. Outside, was covered in graffiti, a burly man blocking a black door.

"Password?" he said, his tone grated and monotone.

" Um, sorry?"she said confused.

" Don't worry about it, Rocco, she is with me." Inuyasha said as he pulled Kagome by the arm. "So, you decided to come?"

"Yeah…" she said, sheepishly. "Listen, I'm really sorry…about."

"Hey, don't worry about it." He said. "Did you get here ok?"

"Define ok." Kagome said. "There was a fight on the train, I got hit on by a girl and this crazy man wanted me to worship a bag of flour to save my soul."

"Oh, you met the Dough the Prophet. He's out of his mind but he has good advice at times." Inuyasha teased.

They went down a few flights of steps and the bass rattled the walls as they opened the door. There was fog, colorful lights and crowds of people. It was only 6pm, didn't these people have jobs?

Inuyasha showed her around and then brought her to a small office. "Listen, are you sure you want to do this?"

"What do you mean?"

"Let me fill you in a little. My brother owns this club and there are a lot of bad people here. You need to mind your business, make your money and go home, and although we have tons of bouncers here and no one is allowed to touch staff, it can happen. It's the con of being surrounded by drunks and I know you don't like your personal space invaded…" he said, recalling their earlier encounter. "The uniform is also a little provocative."

Kagome looked at the uniform he held out for her; a leather skimpy outfit that she doubted with cover her behind.

"Oh my god, I have to wear that?"

"Yeah, I know."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. " Look, the clientele is a bunch of greasy slimeballs. They come here basically to see waitresses wear this. Expect to get hit on, a lot." His face tightened. "but if they touch you, that's a different story. You tell me right away if they do."

Kagome nodded. Beggars couldn't be choosers. She needed a job and he was helping her.

"I understand, thank you."

"No worries." He said, his expression somber as she went into the ladies' dressing room to change.

Kagome sighed once she closed the door and looked at the outfit. This was going to suck though.

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~*~Please review*~*

Written in 2002. Edited in 2019


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Kagome went into the ladies' bathroom with the outfit Inuyasha had handed her.

"I can't believe this..." She mumbled as she removed her clothes and pulled the provocative leather dress over her head. Her assumption was right, the dress was extremely short. A simple sneeze would send her butt cheeks shooting out for the world to see.

"You got to be freakin' kidding me!" Kagome snorted. A light knock sounded at the door and she covered herself as if she were completely naked. She opened the door ajar, hiding her cleavage from view.

"I forgot to give you the shoes." Inuyasha dangled a pair of silver stilettos in front of her.

"I'm sorry, did you say the position was for a waitress or a stripper?" Kagome scoffed.

"The strippers just wear the heels." He said and after getting a look from her, he chuckled. "We don't have strippers here."

"How am I supposed to walk in these?" she grabbed the stilettos.

"I don't know." He chuckled. "But the girls seem to do it just fine. Does the dress fit?"

Kagome opened the door ajar, showing him a quick peak before hiding behind the door again.

"I think it's too small." She replied frustratingly as she tugged the skirt down, but every time she tugged the skirt down, her cleavage busted out at the top. _Choose one, Kagome, butt or breasts, one of them was going to have to make its appearance._

"Errr…I'd say it fits just fine." He cleared his throat. His eyes narrowed and she couldn't tell if he was blushing or if it was the red strobe lights passing his face.

"I'm going to break an ankle tonight. This is it, this is how I die."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Look, kiddo. I'm just trying to help you out here. You don't have to do this."

Kagome felt a stab of guilt and bowed her head. "I'm sorry…I just…don't think I can do this, Inuyasha. I really appreciate it."

"Are you su-" Inuyasha tried to stop her but she closed the door, quickly changed and handed him the dress.

"Sorry…for wasting your time." She placed a strand of hair behind her ear and averted his gaze.

"You didn't-." He paused as she walked away from him in a hurt. "waste my time.".

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Kagome sprawled out across her bed and stared up at the ceiling for the last hour in complete darkness. She mulled over the idea of wearing that piece of fabric to work at the club. _No, I just can't do it._ But she needed money and quick. Hojo only sent a few hundred and it was expensive to live in the city. Buying a sandwich and a bottle of orange juice was nearly $12!

Poor Inuyasha, he was just trying to help. The look of disappointment was evident on his face, but she was going to have to do this on her own. She needed to save to figure out her next move. She couldn't stay with Sango, eventually they would find her. Hojo told her not to settle anywhere until he could get her a new identity. She sat upright and brought her knees to her chest. She wrapped her arms around them and started to rock back and forth, feeling terrible memories trying to flood back into her mind. She grabbed her daily planner from the nightstand and started to leaf through notes when a pile of photos fell out from the back of the book. Her chest ached as if a knife had just pierced her. The innocent eyes of her eight-year-old brother staring back at her. She had him on her lap, a colorful birthday hat stood crooked at the top of his head.

She sobbed. How could someone do this to him? What kind of person could do that to an eight year old? She flipped through each picture and saw one of her and her mother at a diner. Another one of her grandfather sipping tea on the couch.

She thought back to that night. The blood, the pieces…_No, _she shook her head.

Kagome closed the book and placed it under her pillow. She flipped her pillow over to rest her head on the dry side. She didn't towel dry her hair enough after showering when she got home. She looked at the clock, it was six in the evening. Although it was early, her eyes grew heavy. She didn't sleep well during the night. It wasn't long before she drifted into a deep slumber. 

_Her eyes cracked open and she frowned at the ceiling above her. It was pink, not white. This wasn't her room in Manhattan. She was back in Okinawa. The morning sun had shown through her frilly white curtains, the smell of her mother's banana pancakes wafted through the cracks of her door. Her stomach grumbled. This isn't real, she thought. But it felt so real. As she swung her feet off the bed, her toes wiggled through her plush carpet. She grabbed her Hello Kitty bathrobe and shuffled toward the bathroom._

_Once she got to the bathroom, she pulled down her pants and went about her business. She caught sight of movement from her peripherals; the shower curtains rustled followed by a snicker. Then *FLASH* Kagome gasped. Sota jumped out of the bathtub holding a polaroid. He snapped a few more shots and giggled. _

_"Haha, I got you while you're takin' a poopie! Poopie pants, I'm going to sell these photos to FNN! haha" Sota squealed._

_Normally she'd have screamed for her mother by now. But she knew she was dreaming and although her brother threatened to embarrass her, tears filled her eyes knowing this wasn't real and she would never see him again. Sota ran out of the bathroom._

"_Wait, come back." She croaked. She paused, took a moment to collect herself and cleaned herself up. She hurried down the steps in the kitchen. Sota was waving the polaroid camera at her from the table. Her mother passed by him and quickly snatched it._

"_Sweetie, your pancakes are getting cold." She said. _

_Kagome froze by the doorway, watching her brother dive into his pancakes while her grandfather read the newspaper._

"_Kagome, darling. You want pancakes or are you avoiding carbs again?" her mother teased._

"_Mama.." Kagome cried. "Yes, I would love your pancakes. I'll always want your pancakes."_

"_Sit down, sweetie. Sota, stop taunting your sister."_

"_Mom, we are going to be rich once I sell those photos of her poopie butt!"_

"_Sota, why would you want to embarrass your sister on national television?"_

"_Because that's my job, to embarrass her, duh!" he giggled and Kagome couldn't help but laugh along with him._

_Kagome started to eat her pancakes. Her mom looked at her and smiled. _

"_Look at you, Kagome, you're growing up, not my baby girl anymore." She sighed and gently patted her head. "It's not your fault." _

_Kagome stopped eating and looked up at her mother. The morning sun rays that warmed the house just a minute ago suddenly disappeared and replaced with a bitter cold presence. The sky outside was grey, black clouds rolled by. Kagome looked around the table, everyone's mouths were moving but no sound came out of it. Then she looked up at her mother, and blood poured out of her eyes and nose. Sota's head fell back and revealed a gash across his neck, a vein snapped and shot out of his neck onto her plate of pancakes. Kagome screamed but she still couldn't hear her voice. She looked down and saw her cat walking by her feet, his upper half body dragging guts, his bottom half of his body was still at his plate of food. Kagome got up and ran to the living room. Her grandfather was hanging from the ceiling fan. Or his head was with the spinal cord hanging down. Blood dripped down the walls. She focused closely and saw a message on the wall. _

'_I'm not done', it said. _

_Kagome turned back and saw a black silhouette across the room. _

"_Leave me alone" she cried. The shadowy figured walked towards her and held her mom's head in a leather gloved hand. Her mom's eyes rolled back and started chanting words in a voice unlike hers, rasped and deep toned. Her eyes rolled back forward and beamed straight at Kagome. "It's your fault, my sweet Kagome, Kagome, Kagome"_

"Kagome? Kagome?" another voice sounded. She then felt her body being shaken by a gripped hand on her shoulder. "Kagome, wake up?"

Kagome gasped, her eyes shot open as she bolted upright. Sango hovered over her, her eyes bright with concern.

"I'm sorry to come into your room like this, but you were screaming in your sleep."

"I…I guess I was having a nightmare."

"You sure were." Sango said. "You're sweating. Why don't you take a warm shower and change into some comfortable clothes. I bought us some Chinese food. Don't take too long or the boys will eat it."

"Oh, you didn't have to do that." Kagome said. "How much was it, let me pay half at least."

"Oh stop." Sango waved her hand. "I got it, you got it, let's keep it simple. Do…you want to talk about it?"

"Hm?"

"Your nightmare?" Sango said, her dark brown eyes fixed on hers.

"Oh…" Kagome tittered. "No, I…don't even remember what it was about."

Of course, she was lying but she didn't want to talk about it. Sango left her room and Kagome felt a shiver run down her spine thinking about her dream. She grabbed a pair of shorts and a tank top and jumped into the shower. When she finished changing, she entered the kitchen to see Miroku and Inuyasha already at the table with servings of fried rice and boneless spareribs.

Sango snorted. "It's a good thing I got extra and already made you a plate before these two garbage disposals have at it."

"Thanks, Sango." Kagome mustered a half grin and joined Inuyasha and Miroku at the table. She snuck a glance at Inuyasha, but he was avoiding her. He shoved a spoonful of rice into his mouth as he browsed his social media. She could sense he was still upset with her so she decided not to make conversation.

"I saved you some dumplings." Miroku smirked and handed her a side plate of them.

"That was thoughtful of you, thanks." Kagome uttered softly as she grabbed the plate.

"Feh, like you're one to find anything thoughtful." Inuyasha muttered under his breath.

"Can you please not be upset with me? I'm just not comfortable wearing something like that."

"Whatever, I just thought you'd do it temporarily while you find something else. I should just butt out of your business."

Sango sat beside Kagome and snatched an eggroll from Miroku's plate. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Um, excuse me? I was going to eat that!" Miroku cried.

Sango eyed him from the side and scowled. " Excuse me? I bought the damn thing ok?" she said forcing most of the eggroll into her mouth.

Miroku's mouth dropped. "Not leaving much room for the imagination, babe. I won't like, my thoughts are impure."

"Ugh, you're such a perv." Sango smacked him behind the head. Mirkou chortled as he leaned away from her. "Anyway, yeah, what are you guys talking about?"

"Nothing." Inuyasha grumbled.

"Inuyasha's upset because he tried to get me a job at the clu-"

"Whoa, stop right there." Sango waved a hand. "You tried to get her to work at your brothel?"

"Oh my god, what is it with you girls? Just because the girls wear…inappropriate uniform doesn't make it a strip club or a brothel."

Sango chuckled. "I'm joking, but look at her, she doesn't belong in that club. Inuyasha, why'd you try to get her to work there?"

"Excuse me for trying to help." Inuyasha shook his head.

"It's not easy being a woman working at a club wearing things like that, Inuyasha, especially when you're not used to wearing those type of clothes. It's something you men will never understand. Anyway, I know how you feel, Kagome. Inuyasha tried to get me to work there when I first moved to the city. Some asshole grabbed my ass and I beat the crap out of him."

Miroku smirked. "Hello, I'm asshole, nice to meet you."

Kagome tried not to choke on her rice from laughing. Inuyasha even cracked a smile.

"Hehe, I love remembering how we first met." Miroku mused, as he stared off into the distance recalling the memory.

"Whatever," Inuyasha sighed. "Guess you girls don't care to make a thousand dollars a night."

"A thousand dollars?" Kagome squeaked.

"Yeah, but it is worth your dignity?" Sango scoffed.

"Dignity doesn't pay the bills, sweetheart." Inuyasha shrugged. "It's freakin' hot in here."

He slid his chair back and took off his hoody then removed his cap. It was the first time Kagome had seen him take it off and was amazed to see two small erect ears at the top of his head that resembled a cat's ears.

Inuyasha caught her staring at his ears and squinted. "What?"

"N-nothing."

"Never seen a hanyou's ears?"

"A hanyou?"

"Half demon? Do they not have demons in Japan?"

"No…actually, just in Tokyo." She said.

"Well then you should have seen them there when you went to University…right?" he said, taunting her with an incredulous look as if he caught her in her own lie.

"Right…just well, never paid any mind to it." She cleared her throat and continued eating. "So…you're a demon?"

"Half demon." He said, rubbing his thighs. Kagome noticed how toned his arms were, protruding veins wrapped around like vines all the way down to his fingers.

"Half demons are hanyous, full fledge demons are youkais."

Kagome continued to stare at his ears.

Inuyasha grew frustrated. "If it bothers you, don't look at them."

"Oh, no, I'm sorry, Inuyasha. They don't bother me. I think they are kind of cute." she smiled as she finished her food and got up from the table. She washed her plate and dried her hands. "Well, thanks for dinner, Sango. I'm going to go to my room to read. I'll talk to you guys later."

Inuyasha watched her walk away, his lips curling into a smile. Unnoticed to him, Sango and Miroku were studying him.

"Aww, she said your ears are cute and now you're smiling. Someone has a serious crush." Miroku sneered.

Sango teased. "You know what that means…"

"Someone wants some booty." Miroku added. Sango snarled and slid her chair away from him.

"You are just hopeless, Miroku."

"What?" Miroku asked, defensively. "It was a joke, come on, don't get your panties in a bunch."

Sango started cleaning the kitchen, Miroku helped to redeem himself for his idiocy. Inuyasha sat quietly as he ate slowly, his thoughts stuck on Kagome. He ached to know her. There was something about the way she said his ears were cute that brought a tingling sensation to his stomach. Was this that butterfly feeling people spoke of? Oh god, he hoped not. He couldn't let himself fall for her. He had too much baggage. Let alone what would his brother think?

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*Please Review*

Editing this old story while I work on my original novel. Follow my Instagram account to stay updated.

procrastiwriter_


	4. Chapter 4

**chapter 4**

Two months passed and Kagome was starting to settle in. Sango had gotten her an assistant manager job at a record store. It paid enough for the time being. She had also gotten closer to Inuyasha, lately, a lot closer than friends should be with each other. They became very good friends and he was always around to help her settle in better, but she was starting to have feelings for him, and she believed he felt the same way. He would always find a way to hang out with her. He even changed his schedule at work so he could pick her up at her job to get dinner before going home. Sango and Miroku decided to make their relationship official so they were spending a lot of time out of the apartment, whether it was having drinks at a lounge in Midtown or spending quality time at his apartment.

Inuyasha and Kagome were on the couch watching an old horror flick from the 80's. Kagome checked her emails and checked her phone periodically wondering why Houjo hadn't gotten back to her. Inuyasha had a pillow propped on Kagome's lap, his head resting on it while a bowl of popcorn sat on his chest.

"Why do you keep checking your phone?" Inuyasha looked annoyed. "You got a boyfriend or something that I don't know about?"

"No." Kagome rolled her eyes. "I'm just reading some texts."

"Uh huh…" he said, his bright amber eyes flickered at her then back at the TV.

Kagome grabbed a handful of popcorn and stuffed it in her mouth.

"Can you chew properly? You're dropping crumbs on my face" Inuyasha winced, as fragments of kernels dusted his cheeks.

Kagome snickered. "My bad…"

They continued their marathon of binge-watching horror movies until midnight. It was just midnight when the television paused into a black screen and Netflix asked if they were 'still watching.'. They weren't. Both had fallen asleep thirty minutes in. Kagome was the first to wake then blinked over her shoulder at Inuyasha behind her.

"What'd you think of the movie?" she asked. Silence replied with a light snore. Inuyasha was still asleep. Kagome smiled but it quickly faded when she realized his arm was around her waist. She blushed, feeling his strong hold on her. The warmth of his chest comforted her. His cologne was intoxicating. She wondered if she should go back to sleep, pretend she never woke up just to bury herself back into him but that would be too weird. She decided to get up. Slowly she slid out of his embrace, quietly reaching for the remote to turn the TV off. As soon as she did, Inuyasha woke up.

"You're a light sleeper." She chuckled, seeing him stretch out on the couch and yawn.

"I don't know how I passed out; I wasn't even tired. I guess I was comfortable."

"Yeah…" she said, and they were both left in an awkward silence.

"I should probably get going. It's late."

"Oh…" Kagome said, disappointedly.

Inuyasha cracked a grin. "Why, do you not want me to leave?"

Kagome hesitated a response as she bowed her head. Mustering the courage, she looked back up and smiled.

"Not really. I was pretty comfortable on the couch too."

Inuyasha patted the cushion. "So, then I'll stay. We can watch something else and fall asleep to."

Kagome smirked as she sauntered back to the couch. She sat down, swung her legs into the couch and backed her hips into his groin. He let out a grunt or was it a moan?

"I'm sorry." She said, innocently. She really wasn't trying to insinuate anything. Or was she?

"Watch where you back that thing, ok?" He teased.

She rested her head on his arm as he fidgeted what to do with his other arm. He rested it on her waist, the warmth sending an electric current throughout her body. She wiggled her hips into him and she could hear his breaths become heavy.

"Comfy?" she said, this time knowing very well what she was doing. She loved the way his hands felt on her. She hoped that he would just grab her and have his way with her. She felt a hot tingling sensation between her legs and judging by the growing hardened member poking her butt from his pants, she could tell he wanted her too. But neither of them were bold to make a move. She could feel his face inching closer behind her neck, his hot breath tickling her ear.  
This was driving him crazy. He knew she was taunting him, the way she backed her butt into his groin. Her shirt rose as she shifted around, his fingers touched the soft skin of her stomach. Again, she rocked her hips back. Ok, if this wasn't enough of a sign for him, he was an idiot. He leaned closer, his lips touching her neck and she pressed herself against it further, welcoming them. He kissed the nape of her neck gently and caressed her stomach, lifting her shirt up ever so slightly. His hands were trailing up just shy of her breast before a knock sounded at the door, startling them both out of their lustful trance.

Breathing hard, they looked at each other and sat up straight on the couch. Who was knocking the door at this time? Sango sent a text that she was staying across the hall with Miroku.

Inuyasha must have had the same thought as he got up and pulled Kagome back so he could answer the door. Kagome walked closely behind him as he reached for the door. When he opened it, they both looked at the stranger before them, raincoat and hat soaked, shaking his umbrella relentlessly down the hall. His face was hidden as he looked down at the floor kicking his boot.

"Can we help you?" Inuyasha asked.

The stranger looked up, hazel eyes meeting Inuyasha's before darting it toward Kagome behind him.

"Houjo?" Kagome asked, perplexedly as she walked past Inuyasha.

Houjo shot a partial grin as he removed his hat. "My apologies for the late hour visit. I lost my phone so I couldn't give you a ring."

"It's alright, I'm just glad you're ok." Kagome shot a sigh of relief and noticed Inuyasha's scrutinizing gaze.

"Kagome...we need to talk." He said. "Alone."

The muscles in Inuyasha's jaw clenched as he urged Kagome with his eyes to explain who this man was.

"Inuyasha…this is Houjo, my…uh, friend from Japan."

Kagome's statement seemed to make Houjo's expression flinch and Inuyasha caught sight of it before looking at Kagome with disbelief.

"I'll leave you two alone." Inuyasha said.

"You…don't have to leave, Inuyasha." Kagome said but Inuyasha walked away from them without saying another word.

"I did not mean to interrupt anything…but since I couldn't get a hold of you by phone, I had to come see you...to warn you, Kagome." Houjo said. "May I come in?"

"Of course, sorry, come in, what's going on?" Kagome asked leading him towards the living room. "Do you want something to drink?"

"No, Kagome, there's no time for pleasantries. I have bad news for you, Kagome. The police have not dropped the investigation and it looks like Eri snitched and told the cops you're in New York. The FBI are now involved."

"Oh no…" Kagome's hands started to tremble as she brought them to her face. She sat down on the couch and looked up at him. "What do I do?"

Houjo sighed as he took a seat beside her. "I'm trying to figure it out but Kagome, you're going to have to leave this place. Your photo is going to turn up soon and I don't know about the people you're living with, but they're going to see it too."

"Leave?" her voice wavered. "But…I really like it here."

Houjo's expression darkened. "This isn't your home, Kagome. You belong back in Okinawa." He rested his hand firmly on her thigh which made Kagome flinch.

Kagome moved her thigh removing his hand. "I don't want to leave, Houjo. I really like it here; I like it a lot."

"You mean you like him." He said, his lips tight. His eyes flashed a look of disappointment. "Kagome, this was only supposed to be temporary. You were supposed to lay low, not make frivolous relationships."

"They're not frivolous. They are all really nice to me."

"Ok…you think they'll be nice when they find out about…you."

Kagome sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. Houjo put his arm around her and gently rubbed it.

"Listen, we will get this sorted out and you can come back home and be with us, we are your friends, well, except for Eri, that backstabber."

Kagome snorted. "I know, you're right. I can't stay here."

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Inuyasha rushed down the stairs to light a cigarette. Anger engulfed him as he wondered who this Houjo was to Kagome. Something told him it was her boyfriend, but…a part of him didn't want to believe it. He felt like an idiot. Heat filled his ears as he fumbled through his pockets for his lighter. Should he have left the apartment? The thought of this man sleeping in Kagome's bed drove him insane. He tried to tame his jealousy, but his mind was taken over by irrational thoughts. He cursed under his breath realizing he left the lighter on the table. He didn't want to go upstairs but he really needed a cigarette to calm down. He turned around and decided to get it.

It was a mistake to go back, once he got inside, he saw Kagome in Houjo's embrace, Kagome crying. A part of him was concerned but then he noted Houjo consoling her and how comfortable she seemed to be in his arms. They both looked up at him.

Kagome wiped her face. "Oh, Inuyasha…sorry, didn't hear you come in."

"Please...don't mind me, just getting my lighter." Inuyasha said, going into the kitchen and avoiding their gaze.

"You don't have to leave." She said.

"I'll let you handle your business." He said, in a stoic manner as he left the apartment. Houjo rested his palm over his mouth and chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

"Your _friend_ is obviously jealous Kagome. He seems to have it bad for you. This isn't a good thing. Whatever is happening here, it has to end."

Kagome was confused by his tone. It had sounded more threatening than concerned but Houjo was right. She wasn't supposed to make friends here.

"I'll be staying at the Inn a few blocks down. Write down your number on this paper. I'll call you tomorrow once I get a new phone." He said, handing her something to write on. He gave her a light kiss on the cheek then left.

He passed Inuyasha smoking on the stoop outside. Their eyes met and Houjo stood beside him as he opened his umbrella.

"So…how long have you and Kagome been dating?" muttered Inuyasha.

Houjo smirked. "Me and Kagome knew each other for a long time...but she isn't exactly my type."

"What do you mean, _not your type_? She's gorgeous." Inuyasha spat with disbelief.

"Well, my little half demon friend…" he paused then winked. "She's not exactly the team I swing for, if you get my drift?"

Inuyasha cocked an eyebrow. _I am so confused. _"Right…drift gotten."

He watched Houjo leave, not really buying that he was gay. Something told him he was really into Kagome but why would he lie and say he was gay? He shook his head and decided to go upstairs to see what was wrong with Kagome.

She had been curled up in the couch when he entered the room. She shot up, startled then placed her palm on her chest.

"You scared me; I didn't think you were coming back here."

"Everything ok?" he asked.

"Yeah…" she lied.

"Is there something I should know?"

"Such as?"

"You tell me." He said, taking a seat by her.

"No…nothing."

"Ok…how about we try this. Let's try to be open with each other and honest." He said.

"Um…ok." She said, nervously.

"I'll go first." He said. "My father died when I was three, my older brother took care of me, but he doesn't exactly lead a legit life so I kind of have a record and have been arrested more times than I can remember."

"Wow…" Kagome looked amazed.

"I am out of that life, but I wanted you to know that about me because…I like you, a lot."

"I like you too, Inuyasha." She said.

"Then tell me what's going on, I feel like you're hiding something."

"I'm not…"

"Don't." he said. "If you're not ready to tell me the truth, then fine. But don't lie to me…please."

"I wish I could tell you, Inuyasha. I really do, but something like this…it isn't easy." Kagome buried her head into her hands. "I don't think I could handle you seeing me differently."

Inuyasha wrapped his hand around her wrist and pulled her close to him. His other hand roamed across her hip and caressed its way up her back.

"I don't think I will." He said. She looked into his eyes and noticed him gazing at her lips. "I just wish I could take away your sadness."

"You being here…and holding me like this does that." She said as he cupped his hands over her face.

"The last thing I want to do is add drama to your life. So, if I'm coming on too strong, just tell me to back off." He said, rubbing his thumb over her lip.

Kagome smiled. "I don't want you to back off."

Inuyasha's lips curled into a half grin. "What do you want?"

"I want you to kiss me." she said, not caring anymore about her boldness. She wanted him and he was taking too long to make his move. He leaned in, grabbed the bottom of her lip with his and pulled her chest close with his. His lips gripped onto hers as he turned his head, his tongue slowly slipping into her mouth to greet hers. The second his tongue touched hers, a ravenous hunger took a hold of her. She swung her leg over his and mounted over his lap, a moan escaping his lips as her hips thrusted into his groin. His hands became more liberated as they roamed around her body freely, his palm cupping one butt cheek and bringing her hips against his throbbing staff. They both breathed hard into each other's mouths, Kagome rocking her hips hard back and forth, hoping that it would entice him to remove her clothes.

He slipped his hands under her shirt and caressed her breast, her moans encouraging him to slip his other hand under her shirt to grab the other breast. He kissed her hard as he pulled her shirt up over her head and hurled it across the room. She undid his belt as he took one breast into her mouth. He licked and tickled her nipples as he flipped her over on the couch and removed his hoody. He pulled her shorts off and ran his fingers through her warm center. He couldn't wait any longer. He caught her gaze on his groin and noticed she couldn't either. Pulling his swollen member out, he lowered himself onto her and slowly thrusted himself inside. She let out a moan as he savored the way she felt, so warm, so wet. A quick thought ran across his head wondering if he locked the door or not, but he didn't care. He wouldn't stop if a nun walked in on them. Damn, she felt so good, he thought as he continued thrusting. The sexual tension pent up over the last two months revealed it wouldn't be too long before he climaxed, but he held on, feeling herself tightening around him. He knew she was close. He thrusted deeper, pulling her leg up over his back as he went faster. She let out a loud moan, thankfully, because he let one out right after. His body jerked over hers as he held himself up, his arms shaking and weak from the climax, he couldn't hold it any longer and collapsed on top of her. They both panted, opposite from each other.

He rolled over to the inner edges of the cushion, allowing for both of them to breathe better. He wrapped his arm over her torso and kissed her shoulder.

"Talk about coming on too strong." Kagome said. "I just wanted a kiss."

Inuyasha looked at her bewilderedly, noticing she looked the other way to hide her laughter. She turned around, stuck her tongue out and leaned in to kiss him on the lips.

"You'll stay, right?" she asked. "You won't leave?"

"I'll stay." He assured, running his hand through her hair.

"We should probably put some clothes on though." She said. "In case Miroku or Sango walk in."

"You don't want to perform the second act with an audience?" Inuyasha teased.

"Nah, maybe for the finale." She said and shook her head at him. They cleaned up and got dressed, had a few tablespoons of ice cream before they fell back asleep on the couch, and as promised, Inuyasha never left her side.

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Author's note:

I know I take forever to update. I'm working on too many projects at once. These chapters are short, I guess back then I wasn't so long winded. :P

_please review and follow me on Instagram to stay in touch3

procrastiwriter_


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